Neighbor Gavin shared that the National Park Service (NPS) has started the process to update its General Management Plan (GMP) for the Civil War Defenses of Washington (CWDW), formerly known as Fort Circle Parks. There was a public meeting on March 26, 2025. NPS has posted the video recording and slides from the meeting. NPS is soliciting public comment. Comments are due by May 9, 2025.

Project website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CWDWplan.

Objective of Plan Update

The CWDW GMP was last updated in 2004. Recreational opportunities and facilities in the current plan include developing a new trail to connect the historic earthworks and link most of the fort sites; interpretive signs to guide visitors; limited bike use; building a visitor center near Fort Stevens; and building an education center at Fort Dupont.

NPS describes the purpose of the plan update as follows.

• Review existing resource management zones to ensure that allowed uses are compatible with the protection of historic and natural resources. 
• In areas where appropriate, carefully consider changes in the plan’s zoning to allow for additional, compatible visitor use. 
• Enable consistent application across the CWDW of appropriate visitor use based on each area’s zoning. 
• Define visitor capacity for the CWDW, based on the protection of historic and natural resources.

NPS describes the need for the plan update as follows.

• The CWDW GMP Amendment is needed to address the following concerns: 
• The CWDW protects important natural and historic resources throughout its range. 
• The city’s recreational needs are growing with an increasing population, and often the only land available for recreational use is within the CWDW. 
• The existing GMP maintains open spaces throughout the CWDW. Organizations and individuals propose uses and improvements for these areas that are inconsistent with the CWDW’s significance, frequently because the CWDW’s importance and value are not readily apparent to the public. 
• Many of the open spaces within the CWDW sites are isolated and lack connectivity with other CWDW areas and to community facilities and resources outside of the CWDW. 
• Significant archeological and natural resources have been identified since the adoption of the existing GMP/ EA. As a result, some archeological resources are located outside of cultural and natural resource zoning designations. 
• The existing GMP/EA does not adequately accommodate future planning, changes that have occurred since its adoption, or outline expectations for potential administrative tools to enhance park management, such as partnerships with civic associations, transfers of jurisdictions, or other mechanisms. 
• The GMP/EA does not adequately address current activities that occur within the cultural resources of the site and do not diminish their value.

NPS explained how the GMP fits into the NPS project development process. The GMP identifies appropriate activities and applicable general locations. Then comes the Development Concept Plan leading to Project Design and finally Implementation.

NPS notes that the CWDW face a number of issues including waste management, visibility, vegetation management, desire for more community use and recreation, poor access, and zoning and management concerns.

Current CWDW GMP Management Zones

It is useful to know the zones in the current GMP.

• Cultural Resource Zone (Cultural and natural resource preservation)
• Connecting Corridor Zone (Parkways connecting fort resources)
• Recreation Zone (Small nodes of intense activity)
• Natural Resource Zone (Areas for natural scenery and forest preservation)
• Special Use Zone (Areas not fully within NPS jurisdiction)
• Visitor Services Zone (Visitor services outside park boundaries)
• Administrative Zone (Not normally seen by visitors)

New Proposed CWDW GMP Management Zones

NPS is proposing to add a couple of new zones.

• Community garden zone
• Site sensitive recreation zone: NPS describes this zone as supporting activities like picnic spaces, low intensity uses.

Existing Managment Zones for Neighborhood Parkland

Fort Totten and the Fort Totten Corridor are part of Rock Creek Park East. Historically, Fort Totten and Fort Totten Corridor were categorized primarily as natural and cultural resource and connecting corridor zones with a focus on conservation and preservation. Anytime we asked for anything at all, NPS officials would say no and say that they wanted the parkland to look the way it did during Civil War times (minus the baseball cage of course).

(Aside: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton recently introduced a bill (H.R. 1429) to expand the mission of NPS to include active use of NPS parks in urban areas in addition to preservation. Unclear how this potential legislation might impact the management plan update for the CWDW, which arguably enjoy a different level of significance than other NPS parks.)

Proposed Zone Changes for Neighborhood Parkland

In the proposed GMP amendment, NPS wants to maintain much of the existing zoning, but they are proposing slight changes to Fort Totten and the Fort Totten corridor. The neighborhood’s area development plan, which was approved by the DC Council in 2009, calls for trails and active recreation at the edges of the parkland near residential areas. The proposed GMP amendments are consistent with this plan.

Fort Totten proposed changes:

• Adds Community Garden Zone in areas with former Recreational Zone designation
• Adds Site Sensitive Recreation Zone along South Dakota Ave NE (near New Hampshire Ave NE intersection) and in southwest portion of Fort Totten park
• Adds Cultural Zone within Site Sensitive Recreation Zone in southwest portion of park
• Changes edges along Gallatin St NE and Metropolitan Branch Trail to Connecting Corridor Zone

Fort Totten Corridor proposed changes:

• Adds Community Garden, Site Sensitive Recreation, and Cultural Zones
• Adds Natural and Recreational Zones along the corridors

Public Input

A lot of people have thoughts about the NPS parkland in our neighborhood. This is an opportunity to let the people with the power to do something know what you think. Please take some time to at least look at all of the slides to get an idea of the scope of changes NPS is proposing across the city as well as the neighborhood. I have always found it interesting just how differently NPS treats the fort sites across the city with no discernible rationale.

If you support what NPS is proposing for our area, let them know. If there are certain uses that you think should be allowable for our area, let them know where and why. For example, specifically note where along Galloway or Gallatin you would recommend a certain zone or use. Let them know about issues along the corridor that they might be overlooking.

How to Submit Comments

Online: Submit written comments by May 9, 2025 at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CWDWplan.

▪ Written comments can be mailed to: Superintendent Attn: CWDW GMP/EA Civil War Defenses of Washington National Park Service 3545 Williamsburg Lane N.W. Washington, DC 20008

▪ Mailed comments must be postmarked by May 9, 2025 to receive consideration

(Edited 4/17/2025 to add: Please also share your comments with ANC Commissioner Keith Sellars at anc5A01@anc.dc.gov.)

NPS warning about personally identifiable information: 

Please Note: Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.